


Emotionally Attached

by Katliger



Category: Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Coffee Shop, College AU, F/M, One-Shot, Soulmates, fluffy af, meet cute
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-26
Updated: 2020-07-08
Packaged: 2021-03-03 20:22:12
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 8,658
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24931474
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Katliger/pseuds/Katliger
Summary: Rey Niima has been alone her whole life, dreaming of one-day meeting the person who's name is etched into her skin, Ben Solo. Sometimes the stars align just right and impossible meetings happen.Or a fluffy soulmate one-shot.
Relationships: Rey/Ben Solo, Rey/Ben Solo | Kylo Ren
Comments: 16
Kudos: 156





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I'm trying out this one-shot a week thing. But this one was so much fun to write just because it's all fluffy and cute. Might come back to this for more if people like it enough. Or I might move on to something new next week, who knows.

Rey Niima was alone. She had always been alone and chances were good that she always would be. Even with the soul mark on her right wrist etched with the name of her soulmate, Rey knew deep down that she would never find him. The man whose name she bore, Ben Solo was just another faceless person out there in the world. Plenty of soulmates found each other, but Rey didn’t harbor such an idea that she would miraculously find hers. 

And though she would never meet her mysterious soulmate, for the last five years she has felt every emotion he’s felt. 

The first time Rey realized that her sudden emotions were not her own she was fifteen sitting in English class. Rey was always quiet at school, kept to herself, and got good grades even with school hoping when she was moved to another foster home. She never saw herself as an angry person, despite all that she had been through in her short life. In all things, Rey tried to find the good and keep positive about life. So when she suddenly exploded in blazing fury in class while they were reading Julius Caesar, she knew the feeling was not her own. 

The book she had been holding went sailing across the room, pages flapping as it soared. A primitive growl escaped her lips, a sound Rey had never made before even in her deepest frustration. Next, her desk was upended with a strength she didn’t know she possessed. Around her, classmates recoiled in shock and fear. Before she could do further damage arms restrained her, pinning her own arms to her side. While holding her back, the English teacher called to one of the students to ring campus security. Within minutes a burly bald man with a fake badge and a taser on his hip was roughly escorting her out of the room and to the principal’s office. Rey put up no resistance because just as quickly as the rage came it was slowly dissipating and she was left with a hollow feeling as if her body had been possessed and was now returned to her. The principal barely spoke to her before having one of the school counselors take over. 

Rey spent hardly any time explaining what came over her before the counselor explained that in some instances soul mates are able to feel each other’s emotions. Since this was the first time it happened it was much more explosive for her because she wasn’t expecting it. When she left the counselor’s office that day she had a handful of pamphlets about soul mates and emotional bleed as well as a sick excuse from the remainder of her classes. She went back to the foster home she was staying in and quickly searched online for more information on emotional bleed. 

If she could feel his anger, did that mean he could feel her emotions too?

For the next five years, Rey occasionally felt the emotions of her soul mate. In that time she got better at recognizing what was happening and not reacting to them in her own space. Instead, she let his emotions wash over her but did not drown in them. Sometimes his emotions were limited to various degrees of anger. But most of the time it was deep levels of sadness and loneliness. Rey could relate to those emotions. 

Like today especially. 

Rey sat at one of the small tables in the cafe where she worked. Technically, she was on her lunch break, but all she had before her was a cup of hot chai and a battered copy of Letters to a Young Poet in her hand. Her work apron lay folded up and resting on top of her bag on the floor. A pair of heavily taped headphones sat nestled over her ears, the Smiths playing loud enough that it could faintly be heard around her. She was already melancholy and alone today, so really the Smiths just added to the aesthetic. 

The cafe wasn’t terribly busy at that time of day usually, but a stream of people started coming in halfway through her break. Rey continued to read, occasionally she would look up to watch her coworkers in case they gave her the single to hop back on the line. The third time she did this, her eye caught someone looking back at her. 

The customer, a tall, broad man with tousled dark hair and piercing eyes complete with a slightly brooding face looked at her, his eyebrows raising slightly in what looked like surprise. Rey stared at him for half a beat too long before she averted her gaze and pretended to read though she had completely lost her place. When she raised her eyes again, her gaze flicked first to the man in line, now closer to the front, but he wasn’t looking at her this time. So she turned towards the bar and noticed her coworker Rose giving her a pleading look that clearly meant they needed her back on. 

Rey sighed then stuff her book and headphones back into her bag, threw on her apron, and carried her stuff and cup back behind the counter. 

“Can you hop on the bar and pull shots? Jyn has class and needs to jet,” Rose asked, somehow smiling though it was a stressed smile. 

“Sure, no problem,” Rey said, turning towards the bar. 

“Wait, real quick,” Rose stopped her and hastily pinned a large button on Rey’s apron on the opposite side of her nametag. “There, now you are ready to get back to it,” Rose said happily before flouncing back to the register. 

Rey looked down at the new accessory. It was an obnoxiously yellow button that said ‘It’s My Birthday!” with colorful confetti surrounding the glittery letters. It was definitely homemade, otherwise, Rey would have removed it immediately. Not that she needed a reminder it was her birthday. She’s just as soon forget.

As she pulled shots and worked on drinks she plastered on her customer service smile, adding a few fake enthusiastic thank yous whenever one of the customers wished her a happy birthday. 

Then tall, dark, and broody was there standing before her station. As much as Rey wanted to stare at him, she kept her eyes focused on the grinding espresso in front of her. 

“Was that the Smiths you were listening to early?” his voice was deep and strangely soothing. Rey’s eyes jerked up instantly. It took her a few seconds for his question to register as she was so engrossed in just looking at him, he was very attractive. 

“Uh yeah. I like to listen to them when I want to feel sad,” she muttered back. 

He made a disbelieving sound, “I didn’t think anyone still listened to them anymore. And I don’t know why anyone would want to feel sad.” He looked her straight in the eye, and to Rey, it felt like he was someone looking straight into her soul, which unnerved her. 

She shrugged one shoulder as she poured two shots of espresso into a cup and handed it off for her coworker frothing milk to finish up. “How about to complement my melancholia then,” she gave him a weak smile. 

Running a large hand through his hair, he said, “Yeah, I get that. I do it too, listen to The Smiths when I’m feeling off. I’ve actually been listening to them all day.” His voice was soothing, with maybe just a hint of awkwardness like he didn’t make small talk often. Rey could relate. 

“It’s that kind of day, I guess,” she said, placing a cup on the bar in front of him. “One triple espresso for Ben, I presume,” she smiled, genuinely this time. In her mind, she thought briefly to herself that it would be so easy if this handsome and ridiculously broad man was her Ben. But the universe didn’t work that way and Rey had to fight to keep her smile up. 

“You are correct,” he said, lifting the cup and downing the hot espresso in one go. The cup made a clink as he set it back on the saucer and pushed it back towards Rey. “That was needed. Thanks…” he stopped, not knowing her name.

“Rey,” she offered.

There wasn’t much color in the handsome customer’s face to begin with, but after Rey supplied her name he became still more white in the face. His dark eyes grew wide as he looked at her and his jaw hung open slightly. And then in an instant, he composed his features and set on a neutral look. 

“Thank you for the coffee, Rey. And uh, happy birthday,” he stared at her for another second and then turned away for the bar and walked out of the cafe. 

“Thanks!” Rey called after him, earning a half-turn of his head before he was through the door. She grabbed up the empty cup from the counter and set it off to the side to take to the sink when she had a moment. Then she continued filling more orders as the line slowly dwindled down. But even as she filled cup after cup with steaming espresso, her mind was stuck on the face of the customer, Ben, and the look he gave her when she said her name and tried to keep her wishful thinking at bay. 

* * *

  
  


At two-thirty Rey clocked out at the cafe to head to her three o’clock class. 

“Don’t forget tonight, my place for pizza and drinks, and whatever pastries are leftover from today,” Rose called out to her as she slung her back over her shoulder and headed towards the front.

“I won’t. See you at eight!” Rey called over her shoulder with a little wave. She pulled out her headphones and plugged them into her phone and brought up her go-to playlist for bad days. Head down as she walked out the door, she walked straight into something solid as she turned to the right on the sidewalk. 

Her phone fell from her hands, ripping the headphone cord out as it plunged for the sidewalk. Rey staggered back a half step dazed.

“I’m so sorry, I wasn’t paying attention to where I was going,” her words tumbled out as she bent to pick up her phone, hoping the protective case did its job.

As she reached for the phone, another hand also grabbed for the device. Their fingertips touched just before his hand grasped her phone and what felt like an electrical current shot through Rey. All at once, she had several overwhelming feelings, like that of a warm sun beating down on her, of a full meal after years of starving, like layers of blankets cocooning her in safety. A feeling like home.

She pulled her fingers back quickly and turned her head up to meet a pair of brilliant brown eyes before her. It was Ben the customer, and he was staring at her with open-mouth led awe. 

Rey stood up quickly, while Ben stood much more slowly, never taking his eyes off her as he did so. She didn’t know what to feel, scared, excited, hopeful? All of these emotions churned inside and she must have shown them all on her face.

They stood facing each other, neither wanting to be the first to speak, to acknowledge what happened. But Rey couldn’t take the silence for too long, “Um, could I have my phone back?” she said, her voice timid. Ben seemed to come back to himself and shook his head to clear his mind. He handed her phone over, careful not to touch her skin again. Rey didn’t know whether to be relieved or disappointed.

Another long minute of silence where they just stared at each other. Rey nervously held her phone, running a thumb up and down the screen. She suddenly realized that her headphones were still on her head and the cord was swinging untethered by her side. With one hand, she pulled the headphones off and, breaking eye contact with Ben for a second, she shoved them into her bag.

Her movements seemed to break the spell they were both under and Ben shifted from foot to foot before her. “Can I ask you a personal question?” He asked, his voice unsure. 

“Depends on the question. I won’t answer if I think it’s too personal,” she said, guarded now.

His large hand swept through his hair, he looked nervous now. “Do you...have a soul mark?” he averted his gaze finally as he asked the question, one hand coming up to rub unconsciously at his opposite wrist. 

“Yes,” Rey responded with trepidation. 

“Could I see it,” he asked without pause. 

Rey stiffened, “That’s pretty personal. I don’t even know you.” She usually kept her soul mark covered so no one could read the name there. In all her years, she had only ever told Rose the name written on her skin.

Ben looked even more uncomfortable now. “I’m aware. But I have to know. Please,” he was pleading now. 

Rey wanted to refuse, she should refuse. She didn’t know this guy, he didn’t have a right to her privacy. But yet she found herself rolling up her right sleeve and removing the chunky bracelet she sometimes used to cover her wrist. Without preamble, she thrust her wrist towards him, watching him with a leveled glare. 

He didn’t touch her, just let his gaze drop to the offered limb. She couldn’t read his expression as he dropped his eyes from her skin and stared at his own arm as he began to pull the sleeve up from his left wrist. 

Saying nothing, he held his left wrist up to her and showed her his soul mark. There it was, plain as day, ‘Rey Niima’ tattooed on his skin. 

It took her a while to realize she was crying, tears pouring unbidden down her face as she continued to stare at her name on his body. All the while he stared at her as if gauging her reaction. 

“I didn’t think you really existed,” she finally choked out, fingers reaching out to trace the air just above his soul mark, still afraid to touch him again. He chuckled a sound that now seemed like the greatest thing Rey had ever heard.

“Oh I exist, sweetheart. I never thought I would actually find you. The odds just... did not look good,” he sighed as she tore her gaze from his soul mark to look in his eyes. They shone with tears of his own. Rey had to fight the urge to throw her arms around his neck and never let go. 

“So now what? I don’t know what to do with a soul mate,” she said with a small smile. 

Ben shrugged his shoulders, “Neither do I. But would it be alright if I held you, for just a minute. When we touched hands it was like fireworks and I want to see if it happens again. You can say no, of course.” 

His cheeks turned a little pink, something Rey instantly found endearing. “Yeah, that would be okay,” she said, stepping into his space. It was awkward at first, neither knowing where exactly to place their arms around each other as if neither had ever hugged before. But then her arms wrapped around his torso and his fell to her hips and circled around to her back and to Rey, everything felt suddenly so right. Like the world had shifted into focus finally, and nothing bad could ever touch her. She found herself closing her eyes as she leaned against his chest, breathing in his scent of sandalwood, cinnamon, laundry soap, and something else that just said Ben. It was now her favorite scent in the whole world. 

Likewise, Ben buried his face in her hair, tugging her closer to his body as if he wanted the two to meld together into one being. “I want to get to know you, Rey. Can I take you out or something now?” he whispered against her temple. 

Remembering the time, Rey pulled back quickly, still keeping him with her arms but far enough she could look up at him. “Shit! I’m going to be late. I have class at three!” she said a little too loudly. 

“I could walk you there. That is if you’re okay with that?” he looked at her with just a hint of pleading in his eyes. Rey had no intention of refusing him, though she was glad he asked. 

With a brilliant smile on her face, she said, “I would like that. It’s not far, just to the English building.” They untangled themselves from each other’s arms and started to walk away from the cafe towards campus. 

“So are you an English major then?” Ben asked conversationally. He walked close to her side like he was afraid she would dart off if he didn’t keep her within arms reach. 

Rey laughed, “God no! I had to take an English class even though it’s stupid that I would need to in the first place, so I’m taking this early American literature course. No, I’m a mechanical engineering major. Math makes more sense to me anyway.” 

Ben made a noncommittal noise in response, even as he smiled down at her. 

“So, what about you? Student or real adult?” she asked with a grin. 

Ben rubbed the back of his head, “Somewhere in the middle, I guess. I’m a doctoral candidate, in literary history actually.” 

Rey groaned loudly, “Wow, we’re like ten minutes into this soulmate thing and I’ve already messed it up. Let me just go die now.” She stared at the ground as she kept walking, desperate to hide her embarrassment. Ben tugged on her hand and got her to stop walking. A calming sensation flowed through her originating from where their hands were joined. 

“Rey,” he started, lifting her chin with a finger so she was looking him in the eye, “You didn’t mess anything up. We’re just getting to know each other, it’s no big deal. You only insulted my whole educational career and life goal, but don’t worry about it.” 

“I didn’t mean too! I just said that it was stupid I had to take an English class” she cried out, looking panicked. Ben laughed in response.

“I was just teasing. And you didn’t insult anything. Honestly, your feelings about literature are way milder than my dad’s. He can’t stand that I’m working towards a Ph.D. in what he calls ‘reading bullshit’. She laughed and the panic eased itself out of her system. They started walking again, back on track to the English building. 

“So you have a father who doesn’t approve of your life choices. What about a mom?” Rey asked conversationally. Inside she tried to keep from blurting out all her questions about what it was like to have a family and to know every little detail about aunts, uncles, cousins, grandparents, and the whole family tree. 

Ben sighed loudly, “Mom is a politician, I don’t see her often. We’re working through some differences I guess. Anyway, my parents are good people, just maybe not great parents. I’m sure if you want, you can meet them sometime. Is that too forward?” He suddenly seemed unsure and looked down at her in concern. 

Rey shook her head, “Not too forward. I mean, I’m sure they want to know your soulmate regardless, right? Are they soulmates?” 

“Yeah, they are. My uncle was the one who actually introduced them. It’s a weird story that you will definitely hear when you meet them. What about your parents? Are they soulmates?” he sounded genuinely interested, and Rey felt a pang in her heart. 

“Uh, maybe. I wouldn’t know, they left me when I was just a kid. I’m one of those orphan types,” she tried to sound casual like it didn’t bother her that her parents just threw her away, left standing outside her preschool waiting for them to come pick her up. It had been a dull pain for years now, pushed to the back of her mind after spending her formative years crying for them to come back. But Ben couldn’t have known that and she couldn’t blame him for asking.

To his credit, Ben didn’t comment on that. He didn’t say any of the empty sorries or get flustered by her statement. He just accepted it and moved on and Rey was incredibly thankful. “Well, you have me, if you want me around. No pressure, you might find I’m a huge jerk and um, jeet me into a garbage bin or something,” he laughed. 

“I think you mean yeet. And who even says that anymore? Oh my god, you’re an old, aren’t you?” Rey said with fake shock. Ben furrowed his eyebrows as he turned his head towards her. 

“An old? Is that what the kids are calling anyone over twenty-five?” he asked. 

“Yeah, basically. So I take it you’re over twenty-five then?” 

“I’m twenty-nine actually, practically have one foot in the grave. I’ll need to add you to my will quickly, I could go at any time,” he said, a bare hint of a smile on his face. 

“Wow, cradle robber!” she grinned up at him, letting the smile take up her whole face. 

They arrived at the English building a minute later, both shooting each other with grins now and then. It wasn’t until they stopped walking that Rey realized they were still holding hands. It just felt so comfortable, organic even, that she just didn’t notice. 

“Well, this is my stop,” she said, realizing how reluctant she was to leave him now. “Can I...see you after?” she asked, hopeful as she tried to keep the pleading out of her voice.

Ben gave her hand a reassuring squeeze, “I would like that very much, Rey. I’ll meet you out here at four and then will you let me take you to an early dinner or something?” He looked at her with bright eyes and there was no way Rey was going to refuse him. 

“That would be nice. I’m one of those best ways to the heart is through the stomach kind of girl,” she laughed at herself. 

Ben turned his full body towards her, towering over her smaller frame. He took her other hand in his and stared down at her. Rey looked up in his glittering eyes and felt her cheeks get warm. 

“I’ll see you later, Rey,” he said, his voice low and intimate now. He leaned in and brushed a chaste kiss on her cheek. 

“See you later, Ben,” she said, her voice way more airy than normal. Reluctantly they dropped hands and with heavy feet, Rey turned and walked into the English building, throwing one last look at Ben over her shoulder. He stood waving at her, a small smile on his beautiful face. 

She made it to class just in time before the lecture started, but her mind was off with Ben, her soulmate. Her mind was swimming the entire way through class just thinking of this new development in her life. Not only did she have a real soulmate, but he was handsome and funny, and easily accessible. How did she get so lucky all of a sudden? 

Watching the clock throughout the lecture, urging it to be four, her mind drifted to thoughts of Ben. She had only known him less than an hour total and already she felt like she had known him her whole life. 

Four o’clock took its sweet time arriving, Rey thought. She was out of her seat as soon as the professor dismissed the class. It took great restraint on Rey’s part not to sprint through the halls to get to Ben faster. As she made her way towards the entrance of the building, her heart lept into her throat as she caught sight of Ben sitting on one of the benches against the wall, book in hand. 

Quickening her steps slightly, she made her way over to him. He looked up from his book as she approached and a glowing smile broke over his face as their eyes locked. “What are you reading?” Rey asked once she was stopped in front of him. 

Ben laid the book of the side, “Waiting for Godot, again. My dissertation is on Samuel Beckett, and this is my go-to when I need to remind myself why I chose his works as my focus.” 

“Ah, I had to read that in high school. Not sure what the point was though. I mean, they spend the whole time waiting and Godot doesn’t even bother to show up,” Rey said, showing her hands up. 

Ben chuckled, “It’s symbolic, sweetheart. If you want me to talk your ear off about symbology in Beckett’s work, there’s a whole weekend ahead of us and I would still need more days. But I don’t think you’d be that interested.”

Rey nodded enthusiastically, “You would be correct. Symbolism is lost on me. Give me concrete numbers and equations or a bit of machinery to play with and I’m happy.” Ben nodded with a smirk on his face. He picked up the book again and shoved it into his bag then stood up. It was amazing how much he towered over her, especially since she wasn’t a short woman. 

They stood together, still adjusting to the other’s presence. It was a little awkward still, but not uncomfortably so. They had just met a few hours ago and it was already becoming easier to talk to Ben, and Rey was excited to see how the rest of the day went with him. 

“So now what? Do you have any more classes?” she asked, hoping the answer was no. 

Ben shook his head, “No, I just teach a discussion section in the mornings on Friday and I have a standing appointment with my advisor at noon, so I’m free the rest of the day. And you?”

“Friday’s are my light day so I can get a full shift in at the cafe. That was my only class. I had planned to do some birthday wallowing, but I can be persuaded to postpone that,” she said with a smile, hoping that Ben would make good on his suggestion of food. 

Without hesitation, he smiled and held out his hand her, “Then allow me to distract you. Dinner?” She grabbed his hand, it already felt like their hands were meant to fit together perfectly as the warmth radiated up her arm, and nodded her head. 

As they headed for the door, a voice called out from behind them, “Ben! There you are!” 

Ben groaned loudly and turned, letting go of her hand long enough to face the new arrival, but then immediately grabbing her other hand once she turned as well. Approaching them was her professor, Dr. Skywalker from the class she just left. He was older with grey hair and beard and knowing blue eyes, and still seemed to move with the speed and grace of a younger man. He stopped just short of the couple, looking at Ben.

“I finished those notes I promised earlier. I was going to give them to you at Shabbot dinner tonight, but now you’ll have some time to look over them before then,” he handed over a small folder, which Ben took with his free hand. 

“Uh, thanks uncle Luke,” he mumbled, “but I think I’m skipping Shabbot dinner tonight. I have other plans. 

Professor Skywalker narrowed his eyes, “You know your mother will be disappointed. What could be more important than a family dinner featuring your mother’s brisket?”

Ben turned his gaze towards Rey and she looked up at him in confusion, having stayed silent through the whole encounter thus far. “She is. Uncle Luke this is…” he was cut off by Professor Skywalker’s nod.

“Miss Rey Niima, yes, I know. She was just in my class. Not paying attention, I noted,” he looked at her, but rather than reproach, she saw a twinkling in his eye and a quirk of a smile at his mouth. 

“I wasn’t not paying attention, I was...preoccupied,” she stammered out. 

Ben’s eyes turned hard suddenly, “Wait, you had her in your class this whole time and didn’t bother to tell me. You knew she was my soulmate and didn’t think that you should let me know?” 

If Professor Skywalker was phased by Ben’s look and tone, he didn’t show it. He shrugged nonchalantly, “It wasn’t my place, you would have found each other eventually. Anyway, why don’t you bring her to Shabbot, your mother will want to meet her.” 

“I just met her!” Ben shot back. But it didn’t matter, Professor Skywalker was had already turned his back and was walking away.

“See you both tonight!” he called out before disappearing down the hall.

Ben groaned again, running a hand down his face. “I’m sorry about that. My uncle is...well, he’s a bit of an ass.” He pulled his phone out of his pocket with his free hand. “Hang on just a minute, okay? And 3,2,1…” he trailed off as is phone started to buzz in his hand. “Gossipy bitches, my whole family. Hi mom,” he answered the phone. 

Rey couldn’t hear the other side of the conversation, but it was clear that he was being asked questions about her. 

“Mom, I literally met her today. She’s not even Jewish, why would she want to come?” he looked at her and quietly asked away from his phone“are you Jewish?” Rey shook her head, bemused. “And it’s her birthday, maybe she doesn’t want to sit around a table full of increasingly intoxicated old strangers.” 

“We can go,” Rey found herself saying, smiling at Ben as he argued with his mother over the phone. That made him stop talking. He looked at her with adoration in his eyes, and Rey would give anything to have him look at her like that all the time. He gave her hand a gentle squeeze. 

“Fine! We’ll be there. But you have to be nice, no interrogations,” he paused to listen to his mother’s response, “Yes you do. I’m pretty sure the KGB learned it’s techniques from you. No, you get two questions. Fine. See you at five-thirty.” He hung up and pocketed the phone. 

“You really don’t have to go. I would much rather just hang out and get to know you. Or whatever, it’s your birthday, you probably have plans to hang out with friends. I’m already bogarting your time. You can tell me no whenever you want, I don’t want to push you or make this into something you don’t want,” he was babbling now. She had to shut him down and assuage his fears. 

“Ben, it’s okay. I’m your soulmate, and from what I’ve read, things with soulmates go a lot faster than normal. It feels right, you know. If that’s okay with you, I don’t mind going to your family thing. I had plans with my friend Rose, but I’m sure she’ll be okay with me rescheduling for tomorrow,” she smiled, then surprised him by releasing his hand and wrapping her arms around him. He quickly returned the embrace and rested his head on top of hers. 

“Let me just call her really quick, okay?” she said, pulling away from him. He nodded and she pulled out her phone, keeping the free arm still wrapped around Ben like she was afraid he would get away if she didn’t. She pulled up Rose’s number and let it ring until Rose answered.

“Hey Rey, what’s up?” came Rose’s bubbly voice.

“Hi, Rose. Is it cool if I push our birthday hang out to tomorrow? Something came up,” she said evenly.

“Sure. Did something happen,” Rose asked with concern in her voice.

Rey smiled up at Ben, “Nothing much, I just met my soulmate.” She had to move the phone away from her ear slightly as Rose let out a loud squeal. 

“Details tomorrow, just text me when you want to come over. And if he turns out to be a creeper, you just say the word and I’m there with a baseball bat, okay?” Rose said, matter of factly. 

“Absolutely! I’ll talk to you later,” she laughed and then hung up at Rose’s salutation. 

She stowed the phone back in her bag and kept her focus on Ben, who was grinning down at her. 

“So, shall we get out of here?” she asked, cheeks turning pink under his scrutiny. 

“Would it be too forward to ask if I could kiss you first?” he blushed when he asked, but didn’t avert his gaze. And at that moment Rey realized she would like nothing more than for Ben to kiss her. 

“I’m actually open to the idea of kissing,” she said, and that was all the prompting he needed before his lips were on hers. 

It was like fireworks going off behind her eyes as they kissed, like the whole universe finally aligned the way it was meant to. Rey had kissed other people before, nice kisses, but nothing compared to kissing her soulmate, kissing her Ben. She could have this forever if they wanted. And Rey wanted it, she wanted it so bad. 


	2. Shabbat Dinner

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ben takes Rey to Shabbot dinner at the Organa-Solo house. True to form, Leia starts the interrogation.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was supposed to be a one-shot, but enough people asked for the Shabbat dinner, and I really wanted to write it, so I did. I meant to have this done last week, but I got into a new book series, so I've been spending my writing time reading instead. I regret nothing.

Of course, he would drive a nice car, Rey thought as she sat in the passenger’s seat of Ben’s Audi. She ran her hands over the black leather seat beneath her thighs, luxuriating over the feel of it. This was way better than her only mode of transport, an old blue land cruiser bike with a cracked seat and a crate strapped to the back for her bag. 

“So what are they like? Your parents,” she asked, wanting to know just what was in store for her when they arrived.

Ben heaved a sigh, “They...they’re just like any parents, you know.”

Rey stared directly ahead, as her fingers curled into her palms, “I don’t know, actually. I don’t remember my parents.” Immediately she felt pity rolling within her and something else. Possessiveness, maybe. The first feeling she didn’t like. Rey never wanted anyone’s pity, she had done just fine in her life without parents. “Stop feeling sorry for me, Ben. I can feel you pitying me,” she tried to keep the bite from her voice, not wanting him to feel like she was lashing out at him. 

As much as she wanted to look at him, Rey kept her focus ahead of her. She wanted nothing more than to get past this awkward moment. But it was Ben’s voice that broke the silence between them. “You can feel my emotions?” he asked tentatively. 

Now Rey began to doubt herself. She hadn’t talked about feeling her soulmate’s emotions since high school. Maybe she was crazy and it was just her own emotions she was projecting this whole time. That high school counselor was probably a quack anyway, going on about emotional bleed.

“Yes,” she said it so quietly, she wasn’t sure Ben could hear, “ever since I was fifteen. It would just happen.” Out of the corner of her eye, she looked over at Ben. He kept his eyes trained on the road, but from what she could see his face had turned contemplative. 

“I could feel yours too. It just took me a while to realize the overwhelming sadness wasn’t my own,” his voice was devoid of pity, but Rey knew what heartbreak sounded like. Her eyes moved to face forward again, she didn’t want to see the look on his face, even in her periphery. When his large hand came to cover her knee, though, she was glad for the warmth it spread through her whole body. “Rey, I never want you to feel that way again. I will do everything I can to ensure that never happens,” this time his voice was strong and held a promise, no, more like an oath. And Rey believed him with her whole heart. 

With one hand on her knee and the other on the steering wheel, he continued to drive in silence. The warmth from his hand on her continued to warm her body and she felted grounded and peaceful just through the simple touch. The silence between them was no longer awkward, but comfortable. 

“My parents are a little overwhelming, well, my mom is anyway. You’ll probably love my dad, everybody does. But my mom, she’s a politician first and an overbearing Jewish mother second. Both aspects of her means she’ll grill you hard on every single detail of your life, but at least the second one means she’ll overfeed you while she does it,” he laughed a little at this last and Rey couldn’t help the small giggle that came out in response. 

Then his voice turned serious, “If I know my mom, she’ll have the whole wedding planned by dessert.” Rey laughed alone at his statement, then furrowed her brow when Ben didn’t join in. 

“Come on, you’re not serious. We literally just met today,” Rey said. 

Ben spared her a quick glance, head turned just slightly towards her with a look that clearly said he wasn’t joking. “You don’t know Leia Organa Solo like I do. She’s been waiting for me to find my soulmate since I was a teenager. There are scrapbooks of wedding ideas,” he said solemnly. 

“Scrapbooks, really?” Rey questioned, skepticism evident in her tone. 

White knuckles tightened on the steering wheel, “Just keep believing I’m joking then because I most certainly am not. You’ll see.” She laughed and they continued the rest of the way to Ben’s parents’ house in comfortable silence.

* * *

  
  


“Why am I suddenly nervous?” Rey asked aloud, mostly for her own benefit rather than Ben’s. He could obviously feel her emotions just as easily as she could feel his. She couldn’t seem to stop herself from fidgeting, her fingers twining together, then pulled apart and shoved into her pockets only for her to pull them out again. Ben finally grabbed up one of her hands and laced their fingers together, then he rang the doorbell.

“Don’t be nervous. I made it sound so bad in the car. But really...it’s much worse,” Ben stared straight ahead at the door, keeping his face neutral. Rey’s eyes shot to him, wide in disbelief. 

“Ben, are you serious right now?!” she said frantically. Just the barest hint of a grin formed on his lips. But before either could say more the door swung open and standing there was an older woman, much shorter than Ben, but with his eyes and a kind smile on her face. 

Her bejeweled hands reached upwards and Ben bent at the waist to bring his face closer to her outstretched arms. “Ben, sheifale, so good to see you.” When she pulled away and released Ben’s face, her attention immediately turned to Rey. “And you must be Rey. My brother has already told me so much about you,” before Rey could react, the woman’s arms were around her, squeezing her tightly. 

It was a warm hug like you would expect from a mother, not that Rey would know since this was her first motherly hug. I could get used to this she thought as she returned the hug with equal pressure. Somewhere within her mind, she felt a small swell of happiness that was not her own and she knew without looking that Ben was more relaxed.

Leia wasted no time in ushering the two of them into the house and taking their coats. Through the hall and into a spacious living room Ben held her hand the whole time while Leia led them further into the house. “I can give you the grand tour later if you like, Rey. But right now I believe the guys are getting ravenous and at this rate, we’ll be lucky if we make it through the candle lighting before Han and Luke eat everything,” the older woman laughed.

The dining room was actually not as big as Rey thought it would be. The mahogany table could comfortably seat six people on cushioned chairs and the whole room was painted a warm red. It was cozy and intimate. Around the table already seated was Professor Skywalker and an older greying man who could only be Ben’s father. Both men stood as the three of them entered the room. Rey’s attention, however, was immediately consumed by the amount of food on the table. Between five place settings, there was heaps of food. A steaming brisket sat in the center with sides placed branching away from the dish. Buffetting the brisket was a set of silver candlesticks each with a small unlit candle. Two bottles of wine already sat open and ready on the table near Ben’s father. 

Rey tried to keep the drool from escaping her mouth, she had never seen so much food in one place. It took Ben prompting her with a small tug to tear her eyes away from the food. He pulled out the chair closest to her and Rey took a seat so that Ben’s father was on her right at the head of the table, while Ben took the seat on her left. Professor Skywalker sat across from her, an amused expression on his face. 

“Rey, you already know my brother Luke of course. And this is Ben’s father, Han. This is Rey, Ben’s soulmate,” she smiled at her husband, who threw her a wink before turning his attention towards Rey. The older man put his hand out and Rey shook it. But rather than releasing her hand, he held onto it. 

“Nice to meet you, Rey. Luke was just giving us your whole life story before you showed up. And the princess over there wouldn’t stop gushing over the thought of you being here tonight, so it’s nice to have you hear,” his voice had a grizzled roughness to it, and he had a cocky smirk on his face that was clearly meant for the two people he mentioned. Rey liked him instantly. 

“For the record, I was not gushing, I was merely excited,” Leia said with a touch of exasperation at her husband. 

“And I was not giving them your life’s story, I was merely telling them about your work in class so far this semester and your major,” Luke added, shooting a glare at Han. 

“How about we light these candles and dig in. Let’s give the kid a few minutes to eat before the interrogation starts,” Han said, giving Rey a wink this time. Next to her, Ben gave her knee a reassuring squeeze and Rey turned to give him a small smile. 

Rey was fascinated by the blessing Leia said over the candles and the one Luke said with the wine. Even Ben said one over a large round braided bread. Of course, Rey couldn’t understand a word they said, but she was still in awe of the ritual of it. 

“Don’t worry kid, I’ve been in this family for almost thirty years and I still don’t know what they’re saying,” Han whispered to her as Ben finished his blessing. 

“Well that’s a relief,” she whispered back with a laugh. 

At least Leia gave Rey long enough to have half her plate cleared before she started on her questioning, for which Rey was grateful. “So Rey, why don’t you tell us about yourself,” it wasn’t a question. 

A half shrug preceded her response, “Not much to tell really. I’m an engineering major. Um, I work at Resistance coffee almost full time to pay for what’s not covered by my scholarship. Oh, and as Ben told you, it’s my birthday.” She took a sip of wine to keep herself from babbling more. 

But Leia just smiled at the younger woman, “Wonderful. And how old are you now? Are you from the area?” Wow, thought Rey, she wasn’t going to go light on her. 

“Um, I’m twenty. And no, I’m from Jakku actually, but you couldn’t pay me to go back there,” she chuckled, but the gaiety didn’t quite reach her eyes. Leia must have noticed because her smile slipped just a little. Through that emotional connection they had Ben must have felt the dip in her mood because he placed a hand on her knee and squeezed. 

“Well, if you’re only twenty, then I’ll be taking that,” Han said, reaching over and putting her wine glass next to his own with a laugh, and defusing the air of unease. 

“Han Solo, you put that back. It’s Shabbat wine, it doesn’t count. Besides, you’ll drink a whole bottle yourself as is if I let you,” Leia sniped. The only response she received was a shit-eating grin from Han as he moved the wine glass back to its place before Rey. Then Leia turned her attention back to Rey. “So dear, Jakku is a long way from Coruscant. Do you get the chance to go home to visit your parents often?” 

Rey’s face fell instantly and she gripped her silverware a little too tightly. The empty feeling she always had when her parents were mentioned filled her so suddenly and so completely that even Ben made a noise. He must be feeling it too. “My parents left when I was really young. I don’t have anyone back in Jakku.”

Ben’s hand moved from her knee to grasp her hand on the table. Rey tried to shake off the feeling, to keep from crying as tended to happen when the subject of her family was brought up. And Leia, bless her, knew how to pivot the conversation. 

“Well, we’re so glad you are here, not just in Coruscant, but in our home too. You’re Ben’s soulmate, and regardless of how you two want to progress from here, that makes you family. If you want us, that is,” Leia’s smile filled her whole face. It was a motherly smile, accepting without conditions, and Rey felt she could weep just from that alone. 

“I would like that very much, thank you,” Rey said, her voice soft as she felt the need to cry subside. She looked over at Ben, and saw in his eyes that same invitation, unspoke, to let him be her family. Somehow she knew what it meant just by looking at him. This bond between them was so new and so strange, but yet it already felt so comfortable. It was something Rey could get used to easily. 

And so the rest of dinner progressed with Leia popping off questions to Rey. Her line of questioning had no real structure, ranging from Rey’s favorite color, blue, to what her plan was for after college, unsure. Occasionally, Ben would ask her something or respond to one of his mother’s questions with his own answers to make it easier for Rey to get to know him too. Professor Skywalker, or Luke as he insisted she call him outside of class, and Han mostly sat on the sidelines, clearly used to Leia taking the lead. 

After dessert, Rey offered to help clean up, but Leia waved her off. “You’re our guest, I won’t have you cleaning up. Why do you have Ben show you the back patio, you can get a wonderful view of the stars from there.” 

Ben grabbed her hand, something that was becoming so easy that Rey gladly accepted, and pulled her away from the kitchen and out a sliding door onto a large brick patio facing a wide-open yard. Leia was right, Rey noted as she looked up, you could really see the stars as the shimmered and winked at her. 

“Sorry about my mom, she’s just nosy,” Ben said, rubbing the back of his neck with his free hand. 

Rey looked up at him, his face haloed by the night sky above them. “Don’t be, I think she’s brilliant. But you were wrong, I didn’t see any scrapbooks.” The look Ben gave her when she laughed was new to her, was it adoration? She wasn’t sure, no one had ever looked at her that way. 

A smirk graced his full lips, “Just you wait. Here let me prove she’s already planned the wedding.” He tugged on her hand and pulled her back towards the door. He opened it just a bit and leaned close to yell through where it was cracked. Rey raised an eyebrow in question.

“Mom, what do you think about wedding colors?” he asked with a smarmy grin on his face as he turned back to Rey. 

From the kitchen, Leia’s voice floated back, “Royal purple and champagne. The colors would compliment Rey’s complexion wonderfully, and I won’t let you have black!” 

Ben gave her a look that clearly said ‘I told you so’. Rey gave his chest a playful shove. “Fine, point proven, smartass,” she laughed. Then the smile turned down just a little, more tentative, “So what happens now? I mean, I just met you today, and no offense, but I’m not really jumping to get married to a stranger. Soulmate or no.”

The hint of a smile was turned her way, “And I’m not going to ask you to marry me today, Rey. But I would like to take you out on a real date. Normally, I would have saved the meet my parents dinner for later, but here we are. Let’s try it out and see where it goes if you want. I don’t want you to feel like you have to date me just because I’m your soulmate. We could just be friends if that’s what you want.” 

Rey cast her eyes down, her cheeks warming now, “You don’t think I’m too young, do you? It must be a little disappointing that I’m so much younger than you.” Insecurity suddenly wracked her brain, and maybe a little fear of rejection. 

But Ben’s eyes soften and he pulled her in close and wrapped his arms around her smaller body. “Rey, you’re perfect,” he whispered into her hair. 

It took a moment, but finally, Rey relaxed in his arms and warped her own around his torso. “Then yes, I would like to try dating you, Ben. I would like that a lot.”

They stood holding each other for several long minutes, neither saying anything more while they just enjoyed the other’s presence. 

Then Leia appeared at the door with a large black book in her hands. “When you two are done being romantic, Rey, I wanted to show you something I put together a while ago. But of course, we can start adding more together as we plan.” She popped away again, leaving the door open for them to follow. 

Rey pulled back from Ben and looked up at him with wide eyes, “That was a wedding scrapbook, wasn’t it!” 

Ben laughed loudly, “I told you, sweetheart. She’s been planning this day for over five years.” He laughed louder at Rey’s groan, then kissed the top of her head before leading her back inside the house. 

And as Rey sat between her soulmate and his mother on the couch looking at patterns Leia had put together, Rey found she felt completely at ease, and completely happy. The emptiness and loneliness she had felt most of her life was gone as if it had never been. She guessed that’s what it meant to find your soulmate, it was finding the pieces of yourself that were missing and putting them back in their proper place. 

Maybe she and Ben wouldn’t work out romantically, but she knew she would always have a friend and a new family. But just from the look in Ben’s eyes as they had stood on the patio that night, she knew it would be as easy as breathing to fall in love with Ben.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading and especially thank you to those who commented that they wanted a second part to this little story. You can find me on the bird app at [@clumsyrogue](https://twitter.com/clumsyrogue), or wherever you get your podcast.

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading. You can find me on the bird box at [@clumsyrogue](https://twitter.com/clumsyrogue). Stay tuned for next week's one-shot. Or this weekend, whenever the mood strikes.


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